Watch movement frame fastening means



July 31, 1934. w L, SMITH 1,968,718

WATCH MOVEMENT FRAME FASTENING MEANS Filed June 22, 1933 7 344w mtozfizalieiZ. 8272 2572 Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,968,718WATCH MOVEMENT FRAME FASTENING ANS Walter L. Smith, Malvern, IowaApplication June 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,122

2 Claims.

The invention aims primarily to improve upon the conventional means usedfor fastening watch movement frames within the case rims. It iscustomary to merely thread case screws into the movement frame and tohave their heads overlap the rear side of the case rim, for holding ashoulder of the frame against a co-acting shoulder of the rim, but thescrews soon become loosened and hence ineffectively hold the movementframe and the case rim in assembled. relation. It is the prin cipal aimof my invention however, to provide an improved construction in whicheach case screw is effectively held in a novel way so that it cannotaccidentally loosen. In carrying out this end, a unique washer isprovided which yieldably grips the screw and is itself held againstturning by contact with the usual rib on the back of the case A furtheraim is to provide a washer which may readily be forced astride the screwwithout the necessity of entirely removing the latter.

A still further aim is to provide a washer of substantially U-shape andhaving its arms of such nature that they may readily be given angularbends for engagement with the above-named rib.

A still further aim is to provide a novel washer which while primarilyintended for the abovedescribed purpose, is not necessarily restrictedthereto.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanyingdrawing.

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a portion of a watch having its movementframe secured in the case rim in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the washers.

The conventional case rim of a watch, is denoted at 5, the rear side ofsaid rim being provided with the usual transversely angular rib 6 forengagement with a rear cover of the watch case. The conventionalmovement frame '7 is received within the rim 5 and abuts the inner edgeof the latter, said frame embodying a front plate 8 and 4 a back plate9, the former being shouldered at 10 to abut the usual shoulder 11 ofthe rim 5. The rear face of the back plate 9 is formed with the usualcountersinks 12 which usually receive the flat heads 13 of the casescrews 14, which screws have the usual threaded engagement with themovement frame '7. Each of these screws is effectively held againstloosening by a novel washer 15. All of these washers are of the sameconstruction and hence a description of one will suffice. A length ofmore or less resilient wire is preferably used in constructing thiswasher, said Wire being bent substantially upon itself at its centerinto approximately U-shaped form, so that it may readily be positionedastride the screw 14 without necessarily removing the latter entirely.The bight portion 16'of the washer 15 is intended to yieldably grip thescrew 14, and the arms 17 of said washer are of a length to projectbeyond the screw head 13 and to engage the rib 6 so as to hold thewasher against turning. As this washer cannot turn and it yieldablygrips the screw 14, it will be seen that the latter is held againstloosening. The bight portion 16 is clamped by the screw head 13 in thecountersink 12 and the inner portions of the arms 17 are similarlyclamped by said screw head against the rear side of the case rim 5.Preferably, the bight portion 16 is greater than 180 in length so thatit will snap into position when forced astride the screw 14, and it isalso preferable that the arms 17. be disposed in outwardly divergingrelation as seen more clearly in Fig. 4, to facilitate positioning ofthe washer upon the screw. As manufactured, the washer is preferablyprovided with straight arms as seen in Fig. 4 but when applying saidwasher, these arms are preferably given an angular bend 18 to snuglyengage the transversely angular rib 6, as illustrated more particularlyin Fig. 3.

It will be seen from the above that I have in a. very simple andinexpensive way, materially improved over the conventional way ofanchoring a watch movement frame within the case rim. It will also beclear that 1 have devised a novel type of washer and that while thepreferred application of said washer has been shown, it is notnecessarily restricted to this particular field. Moreover, while it ispreferable that the washer yieldably grip the screw, the device might beused to advantage even if such yieldable gripping did not take place.For instance, if the part of the case rim 5 ordinarily engaged by thescrew head 13 should be so badly worn away that the screw could noteffectively hold the movement frame in place, one of the washers wouldovercome the 105 difiiculty whether it yieldably embraced the screw 14or not. I have found however that the best results are obtainable whenthe washer yieldably grips the screw for it then has a greater tendencyto hold the latter against loosening. If 110 the screw is tightenedsufficiently however, even Without having the washer yieldably grip thescrew, there is not as much liability of the latter loosening, as in theconventional structure.

I claim:-

1. In a watch embodying a case rim having a rib on its rear side, amovement frame having a rear plate abutting the inner edge of said rim,and a case screw passing through said rear plate; a substantiallyU-shaped washer straddling and frictionally gripping said screw andclamped by the head thereof against said plate and rim, the arms of saidwasher projecting beyond said head and engaging said rib in a manner tohold said washer against rotation about the screw axis.

2. In a watch embodying a case rim having a transversely angular rib onits rear side, a movement frame having a rear plate abutting the inneredge of said rim, and a case screw passing through said rear plate; asubstantially U-shaped washer straddling said screw and. clamped by thehead thereof against said plate and rim, the arms of said washerprojecting beyond said head transversely of said rib and having angularbends engaging said rib.

WALTER L. SMITH.

